(CNN) - Former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer confirmed Monday that he will not be voting for Anthony Weiner in the New York mayoral race.

Spitzer, a fellow former disgraced politician who also is attempting to make a political comeback, was short with his answers Monday in a television interview, but revealed that Weiner will not be getting his support in the upcoming Democratic primary.
MSNBC's Chris Matthews pressed Spitzer, urging him to say who he plans to vote for in the primary race. Spitzer didn't take the bait at first, but Matthews nudged him again.

"You're not going to vote for Anthony Weiner, can you just say that now? You don't think he should be mayor of New York?"

"Fair point. That is correct," Spitzer said.

"He should not be mayor of New York, then?" Matthews asked.

"That is correct," Spitzer replied.

A new poll released Monday indicated a majority, 53%, of New York voters believe Weiner should drop out of the race. The Quinnipiac University poll comes after the former congressman admitted last week that he continued to send lewd messages to women after he resigned from Congress in 2011 for the same actions.

The same survey also showed that Weiner had tumbled to fourth place in the race for the Democratic nomination, despite once being a front-runner.

Spitzer, who resigned in 2008 amid a prostitution scandal, also said in answer to a question that if a public employee under his watch were caught using public office equipment to send racy messages and photos, that person should be fired.

Spitzer's opponent in the Democratic race for city comptroller, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, was quick to pounce on the answers.

"It's clear that Eliot Spitzer thinks there are two standards - one for him, and one for everybody else. His comments are the height of hypocrisy," Stringer's campaign said in a statement.

soundoff(136 Responses)

reasonablebe

who in public life, in their right mind, would want to support this guy or be connected to him in any way?

i expect his wife will come to this conclusion with time, as hard as it may be, as well. first she'll need to accept and acknowledge that he pulled the wool over her eyes, just as he has done to others... and that is really hard. challenges your entire view of yourself.

July 30, 2013 11:56 am at 11:56 am |

humtake

Politicians...it's ok that we let them ruin our government and economy but it's not ok if they decide to have personal affairs with someone.

Who is in the wrong here again?

July 30, 2013 12:00 pm at 12:00 pm |

Trajk Logik

When you break an oath to your wife, then how can anyone trust you when you take an oath to represent a city? How is it that Weiner was ever a frontrunner at any time in this race? It's like people were okay with what he did, but weren't okay with it when he kept doing it after resigning, even though he says he has stopped now. The guy broke an oath to his wife, so how could you ever trust him with anything, especially mayor of NY? When are voters going to wake up?

July 30, 2013 12:29 pm at 12:29 pm |

UDidntBuildThat

Hey NY, What Tony did was no big deal. Yeah he lied over and over. But I'm ok with it. Polticians lie all the time. so what? No big deal. Why are u not ok with it?
Sign Huma Abedin

July 30, 2013 12:33 pm at 12:33 pm |

DRJJJ

When Spitzer and Clinton say you have a habitual moral character flaw, you should be in jail not public leadership!

July 30, 2013 12:34 pm at 12:34 pm |

DaveinIL

Perfect example of "the pot calling the kettle black". Where's Spitzer's moral authority to criticize Weiner given what he was guilty of?

July 30, 2013 12:34 pm at 12:34 pm |

Sherlene

Spitzer is living in world of his on, would not vote for either one of them.

July 30, 2013 12:50 pm at 12:50 pm |

norker

Oh, but he's changed, baby. A whole new man, he'll never hurt you again. You can trust him, just like it was before.

July 30, 2013 12:50 pm at 12:50 pm |

Roger Wilco

The guy is power hungry. Don't feed him. He lied and try to cover up what he did, and even blamed it on terrorists. When caught he resigned but refused to give back the money he collected in his campaign warchest. And to top it off he draws a PENSION for being in Congress for the rest of his life, even though he resigned in disgrace. Who in their right mind would want him for Mayor?

July 30, 2013 12:50 pm at 12:50 pm |

Rudy NYC

Trajk Logik wrote on page 6:

When you break an oath to your wife, then how can anyone trust you when you take an oath to represent a city? How is it that Weiner was ever a frontrunner at any time in this race? It's like people were okay with what he did, but weren't okay with it when he kept doing it after resigning, even though he says he has stopped now.
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Most everyone that I speak to face to face does not like the idea of Weiner running for Mayor, but not quite as bad for Spitzer. I think the polling technique is providing very misleading numbers. They are only polling "likely Democratic primary voters", which means they are only polling Democrats who have voted in past primaries.

They are far from getting the big picture of all voters in NYC. Primary voters tend to be the most loyal and the most extremist.

July 30, 2013 01:14 pm at 1:14 pm |

Kerry

The swing voter base has been jeopardized by Obama when he took sides in the Martin case. That total media/political manipulation was a farce and hurt the Democrats. I voted for him and am now embarrassed that he was part of that. People won't forget come election time. I know because I am of that base. If the Republicans can find a moderate opponent who doesn't want to march us off to war, take away female rights, and keep threatening to take away healthcare that is in place and working (I know, that's a big IF), they have a good shot. Younger people who are more in tune with the moderate direction the country is headed, need to step up to the plate and retire those extreme conservatives who are hurting their chances. Democrats lost a lot of respect, it will be hard to turn the swing vote around now. Not only is Obama losing points in the polls it's hurting all Democrats. People are too informed an intelligent to follow like sheep down that destructive and embarrassing path Jackson and Sharpton tried to lead them. Manipulating the voters is going to be a lot more challenging for the Democrats now.